All The Pretty Roses
by Sorceress Blade
Summary: THE SUKI CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!! any questions?


All The Pretty Roses  
  
  
A/n: This is for you Satsuki ^_~ it's your challenge. I have it in on time... it's long because I didn't want to use chapters. I hate chapters. Sorry if I didn't get the lines right, I haven't played for a while. *~ Means what characters are thinking outside the dream world. It is mainly in Laguna's POV.  
  
  
  
"Mr. President... Mr.-"  
I rolled my eyes at the window I was looking out. I turned around and looked at Kiros, who bit his lip and raised his eyebrows. He gave a tiny half smile at me. I gave a laugh back.  
"Kiros, we're great friends. You don't have to call me Mr. President, just Laguna."  
Kiros took in a breath and started again.   
"Laguna... you have some visitors..."  
Kiros stepped aside and Squall and Ellone came through the door. Rinoa drifted outside the door and looked outside as I had been doing. I opened his arms to Ellone, who ran into them. I hugged her for a while, then let her go and held out my hand to Squall. Squall looked at it with his regular serious face. He gave a little smirk and, surprising everyone, hugged me. I stood there, stunned, and hugged him back. I let go of Squall and smiled at both my children. I then noticed Rinoa outside the door.   
"Hey Rinoa, you want to come?"  
Rinoa's eyes lit up and she ran into the room and jumped into my arms. I twirled her around and set her down.   
"Now I want you and Ward to be nice."  
Rinoa giggled and Ellone nudged her.  
"And take care of the pretty city while I'm gone."  
Ward looked at Kiros.  
"..."  
"Ward says 'we will.'"  
I gave my famous grin and headed out the door. I began to walk towards the exit of Esthar, but was dragged towards the Ragnarok. I walked into the pilot area and saw the driver. Selphie was in a little skirt and shirt, had grown around 2 inches, and had her hair flattened. I put my hand over my mouth in shock.  
"The Cape of Good Hope."  
Selphie gave a little wink and headed off. She landed the plane and promised to be back by 4:00. The Cape of Good Hope now had a tiny graveyard off near Edea's house. We walked over to it and Rinoa started away from us. I grabbed her hand and felt something on her finger. I released her hand and noticed a wedding ring on her finger. I opened his mouth to say something, but the words didn't come out right. I just gaped until Ellone came behind me and patted me on the back.   
"You... Rinoa... you are marrying my son...?"  
Rinoa smiled up at me.  
"Yes... yes I am."  
I pressed my lips tight.  
"I wouldn't have chosen better for him."  
A tear rolled down Rinoa's face slowly.   
"Well... I have to go visit my mother..."  
She turned for her mother's grave and I grabbed her arm.   
"Since you ARE the future Mrs. Leonheart... you'll be part of the family I mean... could we join you?"  
Rinoa nodded. We wandered through the graveyard until we came across a certain grave. It was beautiful. Rinoa bent down and touched the glossy stone. She put her head close to the grave.   
"...My mother..."  
She moved away and admired the shiny pink stone, engraved with silver letters. Julia Heartilly. I felt several warm tears gathering in my eyes and falling down my face. I looked at Rinoa, who was doing the same, and at Squall and Ellone, who just stood there with looks of sorrow. They didn't know Julia as well as I had.  
"If only I had... one more day..."  
Everyone turned toward me.  
"With Julia... or Raine..."  
By now tears were streaming down everyone's faces. Ellone walked forward from the crowd.   
"...I know it's not the safest thing to use my power... but could we go into the past again... just for today...?"  
I looked my daughter over. I looked behind her at Squall and Rinoa. They stepped up next to Ellone. I gave a nod of approval.   
"Where do we start?"  
I cocked my head towards the sun, searching for an answer in the sky. My tears glistened and reflected the sun. There was one day I would do over again in my life if I had a choice.  
"In Julia's hotel room that night."  
Ellone nodded and began concentrating. She closed her eyes and looked almost pained. She then opened them quickly.  
"Maybe you should lay down first... I mean... so you don't get hurt."  
We obeyed her orders and she continued with the process. Suddenly, a piercing sound filled the empty air, and even Ellone was out cold on the warm grass.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I looked out the window and ran around the room nervously. Julia walked in the room and sat down in a chair. I kept pacing quickly.  
"You don't have to be nervous."  
I shook my head.  
"Yes I do. I'm meeting you, Julia Heartilly."  
She gave me a smile that was sincere enough that I loosened up. She came next to me and touched my arm lightly.  
"What do you really want to do?"  
*~ Love you.   
"I... I really dream of being a writer."  
I kept droning on about how much I wanted to be a writer and what I would write.  
"Oops... here I go again."  
Julia smiled at me. The same sincere smile as earlier.   
"No... it's ok. You're really interesting."  
I gave a little laugh.   
"Well what about you? What do you really want to do?"  
The smile faded from her face, and I felt I'd said something wrong. I tightened my lips.  
"I want to sing... not just play the piano but sing too."  
My mind filled with thoughts of Julia singing. What I imagined her voice as, soft and beautiful, filled my head.   
"I bet you're a great singer."  
She sat down on the bed next to me.  
"I am... I just can't write lyrics."  
My face went straight and serious.   
*~ If we would've stayed together I would write the lyrics FOR you.  
I tried to think of a good way to phrase what I wanted to say.  
"Well... that must...suck."  
She let out a petite laugh.   
"It used to. But now that I met you... I can come up with something."  
I looked at her with wide eyes. She made a song for me?  
"Well... I-I'd love to hear it sometime."  
She moved her head to my shoulder and began to sing. It was like I had imagined. Soft and beautiful. I slowly lay down. She got off of me temporarily and lay next to me. I put my arm around her and I held her close to me. Minutes later... I fell asleep. I didn't feel anything. Julia's voice echoed through my mind until I could no longer hear it. I knew the night was over.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*~ Ellone? What is this?  
*~ Special effect I guess... I'm not sure.  
I looked over Laguna as he was sleeping. Trying not to disturb him, I moved out of his arms. He twitched a bit, which made me nervous. Slowly I jumped out of his arms, to which he moved to the side. I sighed in relief. Looking at my clock, I noticed I had a limited time left to get out of the house to the general's house. I packed my things quickly. As I was packing my piano music, the phone rang. I ran over to it before it could ring I second time and moved it into the bathroom with me.  
"Hello?"  
"Miss Heartilly?"  
"This is she."  
"Um... a Mr. Caraway on line 2."  
"Thank you."  
I switched to line two wondering who Mr. Caraway was.   
"Hello? This is Julia Heartilly speaking, can I help you?"  
"Julia..." the voice on the other end purred.  
"C-can I help you sir?"  
"It's General Caraway. I'm ready any time you are."  
I took in a deep breath.  
"Ready."  
"Come on down in the lobby where I'm waiting."  
"C-can I have just... three more minutes...?"  
"Anything it takes."  
"Thank you."  
I quietly hung up the phone and returned it to its dresser. I grabbed my bag, as I was about to leave... then set it down and stopped. I walked over to Laguna who was sleeping quietly. I looked down on his angelic face and ran my fingers down his face gently and carefully. I began to sing the song I wrote for him that night.   
*~ I remember this!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I can hear you singing softly in my sleep. I believe that when you die, you are given a chance to relive any day you want one more time. I want to relive this day...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I softly kissed Laguna and headed out the door with my bag in hand. I hurried down the steps and grabbed General Caraway's hand. We hurriedly walked out the door hand in hand. I got in the limousine and found it somewhat uncomfortable on the hard black leather seats. I tried to stop a tear from rolling out of my eyelashes but I couldn't. I made no noise, but I cried the whole way to Caraway's mansion. The tears just kept coming and I couldn't stop them. Finally, when we arrived at the mansion, I stuck it out and pretended General Caraway was all I ever wanted... even though Laguna was.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I got up and stretched at the bright sun. Squall, Rinoa and Ellone had also awoken from their deep slumber and looked into my eyes for an answer. I just tightened my lips and nodded to Raine's grave some way down the row of the deceased. Ellone started to head over to her grave with me while Squall stayed behind with Rinoa. Once we arrived at Raine's grave, I couldn't even look at it. Not because of the fact that it was so hard to look at the remains of my wife, but it was also hard to keep my eyes away from the couple we left behind. Rinoa was crying her heart out and was on the ground on her knees. Squall was patting her on the back and handing her a red rose with a ribbon tied to it.  
Rinoa sniffled and her eyes sparkled. She placed the rose on the ground below the grave and pushed some dirt over it so it wouldn't blow away in the winds. Rinoa stood up and continued to cry slowly. Squall hugged her close and walked with her over to Raine's grave.   
"Again?"  
I nodded slowly.  
"Where we left off."  
She gave a nod of her head and began the process again.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*~ Let me guess... this is Raine's dream.  
*~ Most likely.  
  
I awoke one morning to the same dream I had had last night and the night before. Instead of normally rubbing my eyes, I rolled them. I grabbed the book on the dresser next to me and looked at the logical explanations it gave. Visitors... visitors... I scrolled down the list of dreams the started with V and found visitors. I looked at the explanation:   
  
If you see an unexpected visitor in your dream you will most likely have an unexpected visitor very soon.   
  
I sighed. Anyone could've told me that. I slammed the book down in fury and got out of bed. I sighed and thought that it was now definite we would have a visitor. Well... we should be prepared. Ellone ran into my room and smiled a gap toothed smile at me.  
"Look mommy! I lost a tooth last night!"  
I smiled and took the tooth. I rinsed the blood off of it and gave it to her.   
"If you put this under your pillow tonight the tooth faerie will come and take it and give you some gil."  
Ellone looked excited at the thought of gil.   
"Now go put it under your pillow and get changed into work clothes."  
Ellone rushed back just as I finished making my bed.   
"Ok..."  
I went downstairs and came back up with a mop and a duster in my hands. I handed the duster to Ellone.  
"I want you to dust the upstairs and then I'll give you another job."  
Ellone seemed puzzled at the sudden cleaning spree.   
"Why are we doing this mommy?"  
"Because we are going to have a visitor soon."  
I smiled to myself and began mopping the upstairs.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I turned and looked at Kiros and Ward. I patted the back of my head nervously.   
"Uh... I hate to admit it but we're lost..." (^_^')  
Kiros rolled his eyes and Ward hit him in the back.  
"I told you, you should've let me navigate!"  
"Now, now... let's not panic. I'm sure there's some way out of here..."  
I began in the maze and started on a bridge. Esthar soldiers appeared in front and behind us. Of course we fought them, but when we finished them off we picked up the pace. I stopped periodically to pick up items and even once, a key.  
Hey a key!  
I picked the key up and put it in my back pocket.  
I feel a draft... in my butt...(I know there's two keys... I just thought this one was hilarious)  
The key fell out of my pocket, which ironically had a hole in it. I scrambled around to find it, but had no luck. We continued on out of the maze. As we were nearing the end, we came across Esthar soldiers. We battled it out and won, but Kiros and Ward turned out for the worst. I looked over at our destination, a cliff. We straggled over to the edge.  
"There's no other way. We have to jump."  
Ward said something I couldn't decipher. I think he might've been trying to diss me for leading us to this place.   
*~I wouldn't be surprised if he said 'damn you Laguna!'  
Kiros agreed with me and did a swan dive into the waters below. I pushed Ward off; he seemed too tired to do anything else. He fell into the waters and I leaned over the edge to see any remains of my friends. I couldn't see anything so I leaned over further. I slipped off the edge and tried grabbing the edge of the cliff.  
"Oh shit!"  
I fell, as my friends had done, into the water. I felt breathless and hurt as I hit the water. It was the most painful moment of my life. I felt myself scrambling above the surface of the clear depth for air. I was desperate. I gulped in a few breaths of the salty air and went back under...  
The next morning I found myself in a bed. Next to me were flowers that smelled freshly picked. I looked at the flowers, yellow and purple, and smelled them. They smelled like posies. I looked around me and saw a nice wallpapered room. It had flowers on the wallpaper also.  
"Must like flowers..."  
"Yes I do."  
A body poked in my doorway, and the head smiled at me.  
"I'm Raine Leonheart. You're my patient."  
I returned the smile. The first genuine smile I had given in a long time. It felt good so I smiled wider.  
*~My famous smile...  
"Laguna Loire."  
She walked over to the bed and unwrapped a bandage around my arm.   
"Well that was quite a fall from Lunatic Pandora."  
A puzzled look grew upon my face.  
"Lunatic Pandora is a kind of ship from space. It-"  
"How did I get here?"  
Raine wrapped my mangled arm in another bandage.  
"You drifted onto the beach. I was walking along it and noticed you, thought you might like some help."  
"Oh. Thank you."  
Ellone ran to the door. She stopped and suddenly became shy. Raine noticed me looking out the door. She gave a smile at the young girl.  
"Come here Ellone, this is Laguna."  
Ellone ran into the room and jumped onto the other bed. Raine smiled wider and finished wrapping my arm. She walked over to the other bed, sat down next to Ellone, and pulled her into a hug.  
"He's our visitor."  
Ellone smiled her gap toothed smile at this. Raine smiled a simple smile without opening her mouth.   
I smiled my famous smile. We felt like a family already.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I awoke last with tears streaming down my face. I felt my wet face as I got up and looked at my pale hand. It felt as wet as my face. I pulled a white flower from my pocket and set on her gravestone. I felt cooler tears run down my face gradually. Blue rose petals surrounded us in the wind as we kept treading toward the Ragnarok. Ellone saw a blue rose along the way and handed it to me.   
"This one is for you. You gave roses today, you deserve one."  
I took it gratefully and pulled my small book from my pocket. I pressed the flower in it. It would do until I got home. I walked into the Ragnarok and watched as Ellone stepped on last. She turned around on the last step. She waved at the air and yelled.  
"Happy Mother's Day!"  
I pressed my hand on the window and looked out. Now the plane was dotted with rain.   
"Happy Mother's Day..."  
  
  
  
  
A/n: Last minute. I might win! ^_^ oh and did you notice the colors were red white and blue? I did that on purpose. It was the forth of July. Hope you liked it and review.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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